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September 29, 2017

Voting to be suspended if EVM, VVPAT differ

<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>If a vote goes wrong in EVMs and the voting chit displayed through VVPAT (voters verified Paper audit trail) registers a different vote, the entire election process will be declared suspended by the election commission, says the chief electoral officer (CEO) of the state.BB Swain, CEO of Gujarat, shared the information on EVMs and VVPATs which will be used in the Gujarat assembly polls for the first time. He held the display of working of VVPAT on Thursday in Gandhinagar.Swain, while talking to media persons said, “If any voter finds through VVPAT chit that his vote went to a wrong person, he/she can file a complaint before the returning officer. The officer will check that EVM and VVPAT, and if the complaint is proved, all the votes and election process completed through that EVM will be declared suspended and repolling will be held.””If the voter is found to be making false complaint willfully, he/she may have to face legal actions which can lead to six months imprisonment. As the use of VVPAT is made for the first time in India, it is also a challenging task for us,” added Swain.After the EVM controversy raised during Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, the election commission has decided to hold elections with EVMs connected to VVPAT. The voter can see the chit for seven seconds and that will contain the name, serial number on the ballot and the party of the candidate on it. All the chits will be kept in a black envelope and will be preserved for five years, Swain added.As many as 70,182 VVPATs are required for Gujarat polls. The CEO Gujarat office will hold the demonstration of VVPAT before the political parties on Friday.